Vietnam confirmed an additional 8,176 new Covid-19 infections in 52 localities on Sunday, according to the Ministry of Health. According to the ministry's report, 8,163 of the new patients are locally-transmitted cases confirmed in 52 out of 63 localities in the country including HCM City (985), An Giang (695), Dong Nai (674), Binh Duong (623), Dong Thap (382), Binh Thuan (369), Tay Ninh (332), Soc Trang (299), Vinh Long (288), Tien Giang (274), Kien Giang (274), Bac Lieu (273), Ca Mau (243), Dak Lak (228), Khanh Hoa (209), Ba Ria - Vung Tau (204), Binh Phuoc (184), Can Tho (146), Thai Binh (134), and Tra Vinh (134). There were 13 imported patients confirmed today. The new infections showed a decrease of 288 cases compared to yesterday's figure. There were 3,705 infections found in the community. As of Sunday evening, 1,021,493 infections had been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country in late April. Some localities that have recorded the highest number of … [Read more...] about Over 8,100 new Covid-19 infection cases confirmed on Sunday
Mueller report 14 cases
Vietnam reports additional 2,192 new Covid-19 cases on Friday
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on Friday reported an additional 2,192 Covid-19 infections, raising the country's total tally to over 11 million. Illustrative photo According to the ministry's report, the national caseload has so far increased to 11,362,540. On August 12, an additional 5,897 more patients recovered from the disease, raising the number of recoveries in the country to over 10.00 million. On Friday evening, one death from Covid-19 was recorded, raising the country's total fatalities to 43,096, accounting for 0.4 per cent of total infections. By August 12, the country had injected more than 250 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. Vietnam is targeting the completion of Covid-19 inoculation for children aged between 5 - 11 in August, as well as the administration of the third shot for those aged 12 - 17, as well as the third and fourth doses to people aged 18 and above as soon as possible. … [Read more...] about Vietnam reports additional 2,192 new Covid-19 cases on Friday
Parts of China’s Hainan extend Covid lockdown, Lhasa in Tibet tightens curbs
Under the "dynamic Covid zero" policy that aims at quickly stopping each outbreak from spreading, local governments have imposed shorter lockdowns where people were barred from unnecessary movements for a few days or weeks until clusters were contained within narrower areas. Such lockdowns were less painful than the two-month virus battle fought by Shanghai in the spring, but the growing spread of Omicron across China may lead to more cities made subject to such measures along with the potential disruption to local businesses. In the southern province of Hainan, currently the worst-hit Chinese region, two cities, Dongfang and Chengmai, with a total population of around 900,000, said on Friday they would add days to the lockdowns on their residents, prolonging what were previously scheduled for three to four days to around a week. Hainan's provincial capital Haikou on Friday put its 2.9 million population in a lockdown between 0700-1800 local time, following similar restrictions … [Read more...] about Parts of China’s Hainan extend Covid lockdown, Lhasa in Tibet tightens curbs
Rise of screen time puts children at high risk of social media addiction
Children are exposed to increased risks of online harms, especially during the outbreaks of the COVID-19 with increased screen time. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The National Children's Hospital has recently received more child patients with mental illnesses attributed to the increased screen time they spent during the COVID-19 pandemic when outdoor physical social activities were limited. Doctor Ngo Anh Vinh, deputy head of the hospital's Department of Adolescent Health, said that after the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children coming to check for mental illnesses related to social networks increased. "Many of them need treatment for social media addiction. Some children are admitted to the hospital after they have attempted suicide," Vinh said. "Currently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) considers social network addiction and game addiction as a mental illness with consequences that severely affect the child's mental and physical health and quality of … [Read more...] about Rise of screen time puts children at high risk of social media addiction
Ministry proposes keeping Covid-19 in Group A of infectious diseases
Ministry proposes keeping Covid-19 in Group A of infectious diseases Regarding the reason why Covid- 19 has not been considered an endemic disease in Vietnam yet, the Ministry of Health said that most countries in the world are in a state of unstable cases and deaths, with an erratic increase and decrease trend when new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus appear. At the same time, acquired immunity (due to vaccines and infection) has not been stable for a long time and decreases over time. In Vietnam, more than 9 million new cases were reported in the first seven months of this year, with over 33,000 cases in July alone, up 22.4 percent from June. Cases of sub variants BA.4, BA.5 have been recorded and began to account for a large proportion in southern provinces. Meanwhile, the rates of booster shot vaccination and vaccination among children were low in some localities. The rise in new cases could cause overload of the health system, particularly in the context of other diseases … [Read more...] about Ministry proposes keeping Covid-19 in Group A of infectious diseases
Influenza A outbreak causes vaccine shortage in Hanoi
Hanoi is facing an influenza A vaccine shortage. Between January and April, the city saw some 400 Influenza A patients per month. The figure increased to 556 cases in May and 887 cases in June. According to the Vietnam National Children's Hospital, over the past month, between 200-300 children came for Influenza A vaccination a day. An inoculation centre in Nam Tu Lien District reported that many people are going to the facility for the Influenza A vaccine, but it has run out of it. Some Hanoi communal medical stations have also ran out of the vaccine. People have to register and pay for this service, but supply is limited with rising demand. The same situation has even been reported at at many of Hanoi's big vaccination centres, including the one operated by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology at Lo Duc Street and the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control’s centre on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street. A representative from a Hanoi inoculation centre said that … [Read more...] about Influenza A outbreak causes vaccine shortage in Hanoi
Vietnam ready for talks with US on tax evasion investigation into Vietnamese steel pipes
Vietnam is willing to hold trade talks with the United States to timely solve arising problems regarding a U.S. anti-circumvention investigation into steel pipe products imported from the Southeast Asian country. Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the statement at a regular press briefing in Hanoi on Thursday following reports that the U.S. officially initiated an investigation into the case. Hang affirmed that the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive partnership has witnessed progress in all fields in recent times, including in economy, trade, and investment. Vietnam is the leading trade partner of the U.S. in Southeast Asia, while the U.S. is the second-largest trade partner of Vietnam, with two-way trade turnover exceeding US$110 billion in 2021. “Vietnam advocates promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation with the U.S. on the basis of freedom, fairness, and mutual benefits in accordance with bilateral agreements and … [Read more...] about Vietnam ready for talks with US on tax evasion investigation into Vietnamese steel pipes
Direction for disbursement tightened after mixed results
According to the Ministry of Finance, the disbursement of the state budget capital as of the end of July stood at nearly $8.1 billion, accounting for 34.47 per cent of the yearly plan and a slight on-year reduction. Of this, one centrally-run agency and 11 localities reported disbursement at more than 50 per cent, 17 ministries and agencies have reported less than 10 per cent, and the remaining met the national average. Some major infrastructure projects are delayed and costs are only going to go up in that case, Le Toan Specifically, in Ho Chi Minh City, the disbursement of public investment in the first seven months accounted for about 15 per cent of the total allocated capital or almost $1.4 billion. This figure includes $108 million from the central budget and $1.28 billion from local funds. Many important works in the city have yet to expense anything, including one project for green traffic development, a water improvement initiative in the Tau Hu-Ben Nghe-Doi-Te … [Read more...] about Direction for disbursement tightened after mixed results
Transport ministry clamps down on taxi drivers overcharging at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport
The Ministry of Transport has announced a plan to strengthen inspection and crack down on taxi drivers' illegal practices, such as enticing passengers, overcharging or refusing to take passengers at the country's busiest airport, Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City. Taxis enter to pick up passengers at HCM City's Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport. Deputy Minister Lê Anh Tuấn has urged inspectors from the city's Department of Transport, in cooperation with leaders of the Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport and the Southern Airport Authority, to punish taxi drivers who refuse to take passengers, as well as those who impose unreasonably high extra charges. Tuấn has also asked units to arrange pick-up and drop-off areas, creating favourable conditions for buses, taxis, and app-based vehicles to park, pick up and drop off passengers. This is among measures taken to solve the recent overcrowding at the country's busiest airport, with … [Read more...] about Transport ministry clamps down on taxi drivers overcharging at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport
Mass fish die-off in German-Polish river blamed on unknown toxic substance
An unidentified highly toxic substance in the Oder river, which runs through Poland and Germany, appears to be the cause of a mass die-off of fish, the German state of Brandenburg's environment ministry said. An analysis of river water taken this week showed evidence of "synthetic chemical substances, very probably also with toxic effects for vertebrates," the ministry said on Thursday, adding that it remained unclear how the substance entered the water. According to local broadcaster rbb, the state laboratory found high levels of mercury in the water samples. The head of Poland's national water management authority told private broadcaster Polsat News that the presence of mercury in the water had yet to be confirmed, however. "At the moment, these are press reports. We have no confirmation regarding mercury in the Oder," Przemyslaw Daca, the head of Polish Waters, said. The ministry in Brandenburg, the state surrounding Berlin, said it had not yet been possible to assess … [Read more...] about Mass fish die-off in German-Polish river blamed on unknown toxic substance